• GLASS PIE AN WARNING: I suggest a ceramic pie dish or HIGH QUALITY glass made from borosilicate glass and not soda-lime glass which seems more prone to thermal shock and shattering.  Newer Pyrex is not to be trusted.

PLAN AHEAD

• Place shortening in the refrigerator until very cold. Fill a small glass with ice water and refrigerate. Chop butter in to 1/4 “ pieces and refrigerate.

MAKE DOUGH

• When shortening is cold, line a counter with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place flour, sugar and salt in food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to mix. (If mixing by hand, place ingredients in a large bowl.)
• Add chilled shortening and cold butter. Pulse 8-10 times, until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs and most of the butter is the size of peas with a few larger pieces. (If mixing by hand, cut butter and shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or 2 forks.)
• With the machine running, pour 1/4 cup (NO MORE) chilled water down the feed tube then pulse just until the dough is moistened and sticks together. (If mixing by hand, sprinkle water over mixture and fold in using a rubber spatula.)
• Take care to handle the dough as little as possible in this step and the following. Dump dough out onto prepared parchment paper and press together until it sticks together into a ball, adding up to one additional tablespoon water if dough will not come together. (I gather the parchment paper all around the dough and push it together.)
• Press dough into an even disc, about 8” around (it does not need to be perfect). Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 2 days (best if overnight).

ROLL DOUGH

• Line counter with parchment paper, at least 16” wide. Add dough to center of parchment and place another piece of parchment on top. Roll dough out onto parchment paper, rolling from the center to the edges to form a 12” circle.
• Remove top piece of parchment. Place your dominant hand under the dough and hold the pie plate (or quiche pan) with your other hand on top.  Quickly flip the pie plate over in order to place the dough into the pie pan, parchment side up. (see above photos). Before removing parchment, press dough evenly into pie pan. Remove parchment and smooth dough up the sides of pie pan. Cut off any overhanging dough around the edges.
• Flute the edges: or create whatever edge design you prefer.
• Egg wash: I find it easiest to add the egg wash after the pie dough has firmed up a bit, so I place the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes. Lightly brush the entire crust (bottom, sides and edges) with egg wash.
• Chill: Immediately cover the pie with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes up to 5 days before baking, or for ceramic pie dishes (not glass!) you can freeze for 20 minutes.

TO BAKE PIE WITH FILLING

• Proceed to fill the unbaked pie shell and bake the pie according to your recipe directions. I cover the edges with a pie shield for about 30 minutes of the baking time because pie edges bake more quickly than the rest of the pie.

TO BLIND BAKE (PRE-BAKE) PIE WITHOUT FILLING

• Blind baking is traditionally used to pre-bake the pie shell when it's not baked with the filling such as strawberry pie, lemon meringue, etc.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line the pie shell with parchment paper; fill with pie weights or dried beans (this keeps crust from shrinking). Bake until the dough looks dry and light in color, about 25-30 minutes.
• Remove the parchment paper and weights and continue to bake until the pastry dries out and turns a golden brown, about 12-18 additional minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.